Rotary Gram

Durango High Noon Rotary Club

July 24, 2003

"As Rotarians, we must open our eyes to see those around us who cannot afford shelter, health care, food and other essentials. We must address these problems with compassion and pragmatism. I ask all Rotarians to make the alleviation of poverty our number-one aim."

Jonathan Majiyagbe, President, Rotary International

Chessa opened the meeting, and asked Steve Wheeldon to give the

invocation and to lead us in the pledge. Guests included: Kristi Nelson

Cohen, VP Sales and Marketing of the DSNGRR; Chuck Davies, a Rotarian

visiting from Texas; Bob Geffe, resident of Florida and Durango; Don

Cheatham; Molly Watson, a scholarship winner, member of the Colorado 4-H

Senate and La Plata County Fair Queen and Andy MacGruer from Operation

Imagination.

Chessa called Russel Parker to the podium for two presentations. He

presented Melisa and Tim with a check for $2k for the HNRC/United Way golf

tourney and Tom B. a check for $500 for Ducks Unlimited. The funds came

from the Wal-Mart Foundation. Thanks Russell!

Golf Tournament:

The planning for the HNRC/United Way golf tourney, Saturday, August 9, 8:00 AM shotgun start at Dalton Ranch, is moving ahead. Great door prizes and an award for closest to the pin are a couple of the prizes up for grabs. Slots are still available for 7 - 8 teams, so call 247-9444 to get your team registered.

Red Ball Express:

Tom B. indicated that a planning meeting was held last Monday night. He says that a good core has been formed and that an honorary Chairperson will soon be announced. The fund raiser is expected to bring in $75k for the community, with more people involved this year and a select few to be made part of the board.

Snow Down Snow Ball:

Next year's theme is Yabba Dabba Doo....... Steve G. announced an organizational meeting next week, promising great fun.

Thanks to the club:

Ward asked Chessa to thank the club for the efforts of those that helped 'spiff up' the Folsom Park ball field and snack shack.

Mexican Food Fiesta:

A new coordinator for this year's event is needed. Volunteers should contact Chessa. Mark Prouty, stellar performer for the last few years said that good guide lines exist, including a book on procedures etc. 6 vendors are involved and the leader needs to invest about 3 days of his/her time, in addition to the help of the club members. This leader will be selected/announced at the next meeting.

Bob Chaput recognized:

Chessa awarded Bob a special, Service Above Self pin for his efforts at revising and maintaining the club directory. Thanks Bob!!

Perfect Attendance:

Chessa gave Perfect Attendance Pins to a dozen or so club members. We were reminded to be sure to enter qualifying make up activities on the sign - in sheet at each club meeting.

Thank you notes to the club:

Chessa read several notes of thanks to the club for financial assistance. Included was a note from the family of Alan Wyatt, the firefighter killed in last year's Missionary Ridge Fire. Others notes came from the Vallecito Community Center, the Vallecito Community Council, Music in the Mountains and Joachim Rice of 4 - H.

Bob's Big Adventure:

Bob thanked the club for it's pledge in support of his 554 mile bike ride to raise money for new 4 - H pens at the fairgrounds. With 184 sponsors, Bob, who felt at times like heading for home, continued through rain, snow, wind and 44 degree weather. Unlike Lance Armstrong, Bob has no plans to do it again.

Sergeants at Arms:

Bill Wright and Bud Deering (remember, I just write what I hear) continued to share the responsibilities of the high office. Birthdays recognized included; Ken Fusco, John Jordan, Brian Myers, Steve Wheeldon, Jim Whitley, Bill Cartwright, Laura Webb and Mark Larson. Ron Holligan is celebrating an anniversary. Past Sergeants at Arms were recognized, including Jeannie Wheeldon, Pam Moore, Len Goebel, Rick O'Block, Bob Volger, Jim Wotkyns and J. R. Each was encouraged to make a contribution bearing a relation to the grief visited on others in the past. And, anyone present under 76 years of age was asked to make an investment.

Trash Troops Touted:

Steve Redding saluted his fellow highway maintenance crew members and awarded special gifts to Bob Volger and one of Steve G.'s sons. 5 lottery tix and tix to the Diamond Circle Melodrama were unclaimed. Thanks troops!!

Baseball rules:

Teams from Durango took state championship honors in the 11 and 12 year old divisions. We were encouraged to support the youth baseball teams, they are doing Durango proud!

This is your life, Mike Sandberg:

Chessa gave Mike the podium to tell us about his past. He asked Bob C. to keep track of his time. His grandparents on both sides 'got off the boat' and although raised a Catholic, he is now an elder in a Native American church. After earning a degree in Police Science, Mike opted to go to work for a phone company in Illinois. He was struck by lightning and still keeps a pair of pliers that absorbed much of the electrical energy.

He commenced to ride along with police officers on patrol and earned a commission as a police officer in a small town and eventually worked for Arlington Heights, near Chicago. Among his memories are working the riots at the democrat convention in Chicago. He was hospitalized with an infection later determined to be the pathogen associated with tooth decay, suffered partial paralysis and spent two years in rehabilitation, 12 hours a day to regain the use of his hand.

He was blinded in 1974, he didn't relate how it happened, joined Rotary in 1988 and moved 'out west' in 2000. Mike lives on a ranch, with the help of two people that came to the region with him. He told of us his near death experience, when he was 'dead' for 13 minutes and out of that experience believes that there is some sort of an existence after death. Thank you Mike!

Chessa read the 'winning' ticket, held by Bill Cartwright, but he didn't draw the queen of hearts. She then invited Laura Webb to introduce Kristi Nelson Cohen, our speaker for the day.

She proceeded to give us a chronology of the history of what is now know as the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Company. The Denver and Rio Grand RR established Durango, with the train arriving in 1881. Construction of the tracks to Silverton began in November of that year and in July of 1882, they were completed. No records were kept of the deaths occurring during construction, but some W. H. Jackson photos exist to chronicle the efforts.

Early on, the train was promoted as a tourist attraction. It took 3 hours to reach Silverton, instead of 2 days by mule. In 1885, there were 4 railroads serving Silverton. In 1917, our government took over the line and was dealt a great blow in 1929 when the Sunnyside mine closed.

That mine reopened in 1938 and in 1942, some of the company's equipment was taken to Alaska by the government. In 1947, promotion for tourism began in earnest. The rail cars were painted green at the time. In 1949, a locomotive was painted a yellow/gold color and eventually all the cars were painted that color as well.

In 1968, the train was made part of national historic register for things mechanical and in '69, the tracks south of Durango were abandoned. In '78, the Sunnyside mine closed again due to a flood.

In 1981, Mr. Bradshaw bought the operation, repaired the equipment, added more locomotives and began the operation we know today. The original round house burned in 1989 with all the locomotives inside. They were salvaged, repaired, improved and the round house rebuilt, along with an enlarged machine shop to fabricate parts of the rolling stock.

In 1991, the Sunnyside finally closes for the last time. '92 still stands as a record year for the 'train', hauling a total of 212,000 passengers. The operation was bought in 1998 by Mr. Harper.

Kristi reports that the travel industry is flat, but more are driving on vacation, returning to family values, our history and patriotism. All this bodes well for the train according to Cohen. She told us of some of the newer promotional ideas used by the train, more important than ever with a $4.3 million loss due to the fires.

Chessa thanked Kristi for her presentation and closed the meeting.

Coming Up:

note, this may not be the most current, as I missed the last meeting. jm

July 31, 2003 Club Business, Committees…Tentative report from RI conference: Clyde Church and essa Gill

August 7, 2003 Barbershop Quartet, George will confirm date

August 14, 2003 Sarah Law, District Attorney…Topic (nothing political or campaign!)

Maybe processes of law or community issues (this would be best)

August 21, 2003 Group Study Exchange Team to District 4790, Argentina

August 28, 2003 All About Kids…State Officers from the CO Children’s Coalition, Joint program with Kiwanis

September 4, 2003 Paulette Church….GED Update

September 11, 2003 Hold for General Fogelman

September 18, 2003

September 25, 2003 Animas La Plata Project Sponsored with Kiwanis

Speaker is Ken Beck, Director of Public Outreach Project (confirmed with Rotary, DoubleTree, and with speaker)

October 2, 2003

October 9, 2003

October 16, 2003

October 23, 2003

October 30, 2003

November 6, 2003

November 13, 2003

November 20, 2003

November 27, 2003 No Rotary….Thanksgiving Day

December 4, 2003

December 11, 2003

December 18, 2003

December 25, 2003 No Rotary….Christmas Day

January 1, 2004 No Rotary…New Year’s Day

January 8, 2004

ps: Got program ideas? Get them to the programs committee co-chairs, Burt Coleman and Mike Sandberg.

John E. Marshall

3005 County Road 207

Durango, CO 81301

970-259-6248 p

970-259-4498 f